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Top businessman backs university

A LEADING industrialist who has told Westcountry business leaders to 'stop
moaning', says he is fully behind the proposals for the proposed university
in Cornwall.

Sir John Harvey-Jones, a former ICI chairman, has said that whilst he accepts
there are real problems in some of the traditional industries, he was much
more optimistic about the future of Devon and Cornwall "than the people
down here seem to be."

Addressing a business meeting in Plymouth he said that he believes the future
prosperity of the two counties will be largely created by the small and medium
sized businesses, and the falling level of unemployment was an indication
that this is already happening.

"What I especially wish to see here is an improvement in the education
and skills of our workforce, with more young people going on to further education."

He added: "I am very much in favour of the proposed university in Cornwall."

On the tourism front, Sir John has expressed the need go get a higher grade
of tourism, with visitors spending more money than at present.

"It is," he says, "the attitude of the people of the Westcountry
that will determine its future. It is whistling in the wind to believe that
the Government will simply come along with another handout from the taxpayer
when problems arise."

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Last modification: 14th January 2002
Last information content change: 12th November 1998